This is a sponsored conversation, in collaboration with Rumba Meats. All thoughts are my own, as are the lengua tacos!
I’ve always been what some might call an “adventurous” eater. I like trying new foods. I remember growing up and going out to eat at Mexican restaurants with my Mom, Tia (aunt) and cousin. I’d order the Tripas, Menudo, or Lengua Tacos. My cousin would look at me, shake her head and ask, “How can you eat that stuff?”
Eating “that stuff” was a no-brainer for me. My Mom would often cook traditional Mexican meals for us; I grew up eating it. I didn’t give Lengua Tacos a second thought. While my cousin couldn’t get past the fact that it was beef tongue; I was thinking “more for me!” LOL! Eating lengua was no different to me than eating a hamburger-they both came from a cow. My cousin ate hamburgers, but she wouldn’t eat lengua … go figure!
Once cooked, Lengua (Beef Tongue) is one of the most tender meats you will ever eat. I’ve gotten quite a few of my friends to try it, and they’ve all been surprised at how tender the meat is. The most common way Lengua is eaten is in tacos, but there are also delicious lengua dishes made with a tomato sauce that I’ve had in restaurants. There was this one restaurant we used to go to, my Mom & Tia had a favorite waiter there who would always hook them up with “free” desserts & samples of other dishes. My Mom would usually ask him if there was any lengua available; he’d go into the kitchen & bring her a little morsel back. It’d be lengua cooked in tomato sauce – one of these days I’ll find a recipe for that dish & make it. My Mom & Tia would leave the waiter a huge tip. I still visit that restaurant whenever I’m in San Antonio.
Even though I no longer live in San Antonio; I can still cook all the delicious meals I grew up eating, thanks to Rumba Meats & Lucky’s Supermarkets!
A quick trip to my neighborhood Lucky’s Supermarket is all I have to do to find the cuts of meat I need. Not only is Lucky’s carrying Rumba Meats, you can find it at FoodMaxx & Save Marts too. This is great news for those of us who like to make Menudo, Lengua, Tripas, & all the other delicious Mexican dishes we grew up eating.
Use this store locator link to find out which Northern CA store near you carries Rumba Meats: http://www.rumbameats.com/store-locator
Here’s my easy recipe for Tacos de Lengua (Beef Tongue Tacos).
- 2 lbs Rumba Meats Beef Tongue (Lengua)
- Water to cover
- 2 tsp salt
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 2 tsp onion powder
- 1 cup diced onion for garnish
- cilantro for garnish
- 2 limes, quartered, for garnish
- 1 dozen corn tortillas
- Your Rumba Meats Beef Tongue will have an outer layer & taste buds on it- you will remove this AFTER it is fully cooked.
- Rinse the tongue & put in a large pot.
- Cover tongue completely with water, do not add any more water than is needed to cover tongue.
- Add salt, garlic & onion powder to pot.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce heat & cover.
- Let simmer for four hours.
- At the end of four hours, insert fork into meat, it should go in easily, meat is now done-remove from heat.
- Peel off outer layer from tongue while still hot so it comes off easily-dispose of outer layer.
- Dice meat.
- Heat tortillas.
- Add meat to tortilla, garnish with onions & cilantro. Squeeze lime juice onto meat.
- enjoy!
- I heat my tortillas on a plate with a few drops of water on it. Cover plate & put in microwave- tortillas will be very soft after heating.
- You may want to add more salt to your meat once it's on your tortilla- just taste it & see if it needs more.
